One of the questions you may have if you have been newly diagnosed with any type of skin cancer, is will the cancer spread? Metastasis  is the term used to describe the process by which cancer can spread from the site of the original cancer tumor to other places in the body. Cancer cells which break away from a primary tumor can enter the bloodstream or your lymphatic system (a part of your immune system) to travel to distant places in your body. The danger is that these traveling cancer cells can cause secondary tumors to develop in vital body organs such as the lungs, bones, liver, and brain. The good news is that skin cancer which is caught early will seldom get a chance to metastasize, especially if treatment is successful in getting rid of the entire tumor. The risk of metastasis varies depending upon many factors including which type of skin cancer you have and at which stage it was diagnosed. In this post we are going to talk about what science and research show about your risk of skin cancer metastasis.

What is the risk of metastasis for these types of skin cancer?

Basal Cell Carcinoma

If you have been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma you should know that this type of skin cancer is less likely to metastasize than either squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma. The National Institutes of Health report that basal cell skin cancer almost never spreads. This is not to say that you can leave your skin cancer alone and untreated. Untreated basal cell carcinomas can grow into surrounding skin, tissues, and even bone causing structural damage especially to the face. There are case studies reported in the literature of metastatic basal cell carcinoma (MBCC) but even here the researchers point out how rare these cases are as in fewer than 300 cases of MBCC reported in the literature and an rate of metastasis ranging from 0.0028 percent to 0.5 percent. Mohs surgery  is often a successful treatment option for patients with this type of skin cancer.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The risk of metastasis for patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma  is higher than for patients who have basal cell carcinoma. If left untreated, this type of skin cancer can be lethal. The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that squamous cell carcinoma causes approximately 2,500 deaths each year in the United States. Although most squamous cell carcinomas are relatively slow-growing and localized to the skin, there is a risk for it to spread to other body sites including internal organs. The Skin Cancer Foundation  estimates that between 2-10 percent of squamous cell carcinomas will spread to distant organs. The site of the tumor is important in making predictions if the skin cancer will spread. Squamous cell carcinomas on the lip, ears, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, or inside the mouth or nostrils have a high potential for metastasis.

Melanoma

Melanoma skin cancer has the highest risk of spreading and is considered the most deadly of skin cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates that melanoma skin cancer accounts for as many as 8,700 deaths for 2010 in the U.S. alone. The risk of metastasis for melanoma is much higher than for both basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas combined. Dr. Darrell Rigel, professor of dermatology at NYU Medical Center, was quoted during a PBS interview as warning that: “A melanoma the size of a dime on your skin has a 50% chance of already having spread.” This is why prevention, detection, and early treatment are critical when we talk about melanoma skin cancer.